ARCANUM

Chapter 1: The Punishment

Chapter 1: the punishment

The old man stumbled over the dangling flap of his robe and fell to the ground.

He couldn't find the strength to get back to his feet, so he kept crawling, making his knees bleed. He stretched out his trembling hand to reach the painted walls of the cave.

The cave are full of different kinds of crystals as it shone beautifully in the dark.

"Oh I beg you, hear me! I've lost my way, and there is only darkness ahead." The old man said as he continue to support himself.

"I know you're here!" He called out once more

His prayers were heard, as a blurred shape emerged out of the darkness

A deafening voice rumbled..

"Not everyone has the strength to walk their path till the end."

As the mysterious voice said that, the old man can't help but utterㅡ

"We were endowed with eyes, but not sight. We stare into emptiness, and there's no way to see the road."

The old man slavishly bowed his forehead to the ground, and then he heard the answer:

"You are right. Everyone is given a guiding line, buts its up to them how they used it."

The old man felt the hardcover of a book under his fingers and immediately look up.

He opened it and took out a card.

"All you see now is emptiness but the cards will help you know this world and find something more in it. Now go!" The last two words shattered the deafening silence as it echoed throughout the cave.

The old man visibly tensed and couldn't help but shiver at the powerfullnes of the voice.

He bowed one last time and came out of the cave.

His legs were trembling and barely obeyed him, his hands convulsively clasped the book to his chest.

-
Selena was about to call it a day when her secretary's head popped into the office.

"May I?" The brunette with a striking grey eyes that had a hint of blue in it asked

"Come in.." The woman with red business attire, selena said.

She had a cup of coffee with one hand and some crumpled documents in one hand.

"What's the matter, Amelie?" Selena's voice was like a whip.

The Secretary, Amelie straightened up and held her breath in fear.

Oh how Amelie hated her so much!

"He really insists...I said..."ㅡ The troubled Amelie was cut off as a man burst into the office, without waiting for an invitation.

He stopped at Selena's desk and asked impatiently..

"Are you the director of the Bridge Corporation?"

"And you are? Also, what gives you the right to burst into my office like that?" She irritatingly asked

"My name is Robert Steltz. I'm a detective." The man begrudgingly introduce.

Selena's short patience came to an end. She plopped into the chain and said.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself before the security escorts you out."

For a moment, Rob froze.

He saw sitting in front of him a girl about twenty-four years old. Her back was straight, she was composed and at the same time relaxed, and she had a bitchy grin all over her face.